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Practice games

Animal Cards

Players dribble their own ball, then move like an animal around it when the coach holds up a card.

Warm-up 10 min 8 to 12 players Cage Half pitch 2019 to 2021

Moving Well Lift each other

At a glance

  • Up to 12 players, each with a ball, in a 20 m square. The coach stands at one side holding six animal cards.
  • Hold a card up without saying it. Players leave their ball and move like that animal around it for a slow count of five.
  • Frog: two-foot jumps. Bear: hands and feet. Crab: tummy up. Flamingo: one leg. Kangaroo: big jumps. Cheetah: fast feet to a line and back.
  • Drop the card and everyone dribbles again.
  • Progress 1: Show the card for two seconds, then hide it. Players have to remember the animal.
  • Progress 2: Show two cards, then hide them. Players do both animals in order before they dribble again.

If it's not working: Use only 3 animals and do each one with the children.

Animal Cards: set-upcardC1231 card up, 2 leave the ball, 3 frog jumps round it.20 m by 20 m
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The coach at the side holds a card up high without a word. Everyone leaves their ball where it is and moves like that animal round it for a slow count of five, here a frog's two-footed jumps. Four of the twelve are shown.

Full details: set up, how to play, tips and age tweaks

Set up

  • Put a cone at each corner of a square about 25 big adult steps across.
  • Give every child a ball inside the square.
  • Stand at one side holding your cards so everyone can see you.

8 to 12 children, a square about 20 m by 20 m.

How to play

  • Everyone dribbles anywhere in the square.
  • Hold up an animal card high. Do not shout it.
  • Children leave their ball and move like that animal around it for a slow count of five. Frog: two-footed jumps, soft landing. Bear: hands and feet. Crab: tummy up. Flamingo: one leg, arms out. Kangaroo: big jumps. Cheetah: fast feet to touch any side line and back.
  • Drop the card. Everyone finds their ball and dribbles again.
  • Every animal the whole group completes earns one zoo point. Try to beat the group's zoo points from last week.

Keeping everyone moving

Every child has their own ball and their own animal space, and there is no out.

Make it easier

  • Use only 3 animals and do each one with the children.
  • Let children carry the ball in their hands between animals.

Make it harder, step by step

  1. Show the card for two seconds, then hide it, so players have to remember the animal.
  2. Show two cards, then hide them, so players do both animals in order before they dribble again.

Three things to say

  • Soft, quiet landings on the balls of the feet.
  • Eyes up to spot the card.
  • Quick return to the ball and first touch away into space.

Words that work: "Brave try at a new animal!", "Great eyes up, you spotted it first time.", "Love how you cheered your friend's crab."

Colts habit

Lifting each other, when children invent animals for the group.

Both feet

Dribble with the practice foot on every zoo point round.

Heads up

Cards are shown, never called, so children must look up.

For your birth year

Pick a birth year to show the tweak for that group.

2019
All 6 animals, dribble with the practice foot between cards.
2020 to 2021
3 to 4 animals, a count of three, lots of silly noises.

A young leader can run this one, with an adult coach beside them.

Safety: Check the grass for holes. Give extra space for Cheetah and keep a two-arm gap between children. Bear and Crab on dry ground only.

Keeping score: Group zoo points only, kept on the coach's phone. No individual scores.